By doing so, she allows herself more time to really focus on her son, instead of him worrying about adjusting to a new father who most likely would not have his best interest in mind. He got a better childhood as he never actually had to face a father like that, and penelope gave up an easy road in order for him to have that life. When it comes to sacrifice, much of what Penelope does for Telemachus is emotional. She really kept a spirit up that Odysseus was alive and would one day return. “Your child may see Dad all the time, or Dad may be out of the picture--or anything in between.
It also tells the reader more about Penelope’s emotions towards the suitors. Penelope is still devastated that her husband is gone and can’t manage any more hope, so she completely blocks it
IV.800). If Telemachus is murdered before he is even able to become a successful hero, it reflects negatively on Penelope’s ability to raise children because it shows that she is unable to raise a son worthy of being a hero. Instead of inquiring about how she may be able to prevent Telemachus’ death, Penelope is worried about how Telemachus’ death will represent her as a mother and her ability to raise children. Consequently, Penelope’s actions suggest that, in addition to being concerned over Telemachus, Penelope has personal issues that she is troubled by. Subsequently, a nurse, Eurycleia, comes to Penelope’s aid and advises her to pray to the Gods to help Telemachus.
Let us explain: When Odysseus didn't come, Penelope devised a plan to delay having to marry one of these suitors. To stall, she said she wouldn't marry until she'd finished weaving a funeral shroud for Lacerates, Odysseus' father. Now, weaving is slow, but it's not that slow.
She refuses to give up her own life along side Anticlea if there is even the slightest chance that Odysseus is yet alive (Konchalovsky). This shows Penelope’s loyalty to Odysseus because she continues to believe and hope of the prospect of Odysseus’s homecoming. Another way Penelope conveys loyalty is with the shroud she is to make to mourn the assumed death of her husband. She is supposed to weave the
At this point in the story, the suitors were extremely eager to take Penelope 's hand in marriage. The suitors did anything they could to outdo each other to impress Penelope. Once Penelope said, “for the bringing of gifts each man sent forth his page” (179), the suitors saw this as an amazing opportunity. They each showered her with many gifts, everyone aiming to have the best one. Penelope was extremely clever in this act.
Penelope’s servants also ignore the suitors, as if they were told not to make contact in any way for fear they might do something wrong. The painting sends a message completely opposite from the message sent by the poem, leading on that Penelope doesn’t deserve as much credit as she thinks she
Myrsiadesr compares Penelope’s early recognition in book 19 to a game that only she and Odysseus are playing. Throughout this game only Penelope is aware of it, so she is able to make all of the rules. Odysseus is not aware that his wife recognizes him, before he relieves his identity to her. She is signifying throughout this entire game that she is the one in power. Which is why even after his identity is relieved she continues to test her husband to indicate she is the one in power.
With reference to her cries and hopeless feeling towards the situation she was facing that time, it is not hard to see that Penelope has a strong desire for the return of her husband for her life. Taking the words of Eryximachus in the symposium into consideration, where he concludes that love cause happiness and other good actions (188d-e), the reason of why Penelope would cry for her husband for a lot of times can be proved with the opposite of the saying that people would feel unhappy without love. Since the couple in the story has been separated for almost twenty years, being in lack of love from Odysseus, Penelope would feel frustrated and desperate with the absence of her husband. All in all, taking the dialogue between Odysseus and Penelope in Book 19 of the Odyssey into account, their love relationship can be discussed and analyzed with the love philosophies mentioned by Aristophanes, Phaedrus and Eryximachus in the
Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, is one of the many characters in this novel who is faithful to Odysseus, which she shows by not marrying anybody else. In Book 2, Penelope tells suitors that she will marry one of them once she finishes weaving the shroud. Every day, she weaves more of it, “and every night she would unweave by torchlight.” (2.114) Because Penelope purposefully never completes the shroud, she never marries any suitors, and that shows her devotion to Odysseus. Likewise, in Book 21, Penelope comes to the storeroom in order to talk to her suitors, telling them that “whoever bends this bow and slips the string on its notch...with him will I go,” (21.71,74). Penelope tricks the suitors into thinking they have a chance of marrying her; she knows that only Odysseus can work the bow and arrow, so none of the suitors will succeed.